Is This Your Stop?
by chidori-blossom237
Summary: Marco's life has become dull and predictable as he uses the train every day to travel to and from work. Little did he know that a chance encounter with an intriguing young man would add that splash of colour and excitement that he so desperately craved. MarcoAce AU slice-of-life
1. Monday

**Hi guys. Here I am trying out a One Piece slice of life AU on here for the first time. This story has been rattling around in my head for a little while, so please let me know if it is worth me continuing. Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

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 **Monday**

Trains. What dull, horrible things they really were. Marco wasn't all that fond of any form of public transport, but trains were by far the _worst_. Long periods of being stuck following the dark tunnels of the subway sections, and then when they did emerge into the light all that could be seen was the dirty ass end of filthy back streets and industrial estates.

Following these tedious lines day in and day out was what Marco hated the most – nothing ever changed or deviated from the norm to create a bit of excitement, and yet the blonde man resigned himself to this miserable fate. It was, unfortunately, a simple fact of life when living near the big city. Working for his ageing father and handling the family business (they owned a small transport company), the commute by train was both less hassle and far more cost effective. Traffic was always a nightmare at peak times, and Marco's car was nothing if not thirsty. The trains at least allowed the blonde man to arrive on time for work every day without the worry of getting caught in rush hour, and their schedules never changed which meant he could set a steady pattern for his daily routine.

Even so, trains were still hateful things. Crammed in with strangers like sardines in a can, Marco often had to wrinkle his nose when he was forced into contact with a stranger who either stank of nauseating perfume or aftershave, or in the less pleasant cases didn't appear to have had a bath or shower in months. Because of this the blonde had made the decision to change his work times recently, catching a later train in the morning and then taking a later one home at night, when the carriages were a little less cramped and he could breathe without too much of a struggle.

It was a Monday evening, and Marco stood on the platform waiting for the god-awful contraption to arrive and take him home. It wasn't that he'd had a particularly bad day if he was honest; a couple of boats had come in to make deliveries, all the paperwork had been caught up on, and the guys had worked well together to ensure everything was done for closing – but it had dragged _horrendously_. Marco couldn't remember the last time he'd done so much clock watching, the thought of getting home and slumping across his sofa both spurring him on and torturing him because he still wasn't there yet.

He let out a sigh, watching as his breath clouded a little in front of him, and made a point not to check the station clock. He would be home eventually, once the rickety hell on earth that was his train finally decided to show itself. While he usually craved for some excitement in his day to interrupt all the mundane dullness that was his life, tonight for once he hoped that the journey would pass without a hitch. The day had been too long, he hadn't slept terribly well the night before, and he just wanted to get home and relax. His phone pinged and he spared it a quick glance, scowling when he noticed it was from one of his brothers. Great, now he had to pick up stuff from the shop too… Marco briefly entertained the idea of throwing his phone down on the line, before reconsidering as the mode of transport that he hated so much came screeching into the station.

Once stopped the doors slid open with a metallic rattle, outgoing passengers stepping off quickly so as not to hold up those waiting to embark. Marco stepped in through the doors of a carriage that was relatively quiet in comparison to the others, and moved quickly to take a seat while there was still ample opportunity – the train may be quiet now but it could easily get busy again.

Now that he was on board he closed his eyes and took a breath to calm himself, listening for the bong of the doors before they began to close. It was a strange rattle and haggard breath that caused him to look up again, as a man several years his junior narrowly avoided getting caught between the sliding doors before they closed with a gentle hiss. Blinking, Marco studied the man with bored curiosity.

He gauged him as probably being in his mid-twenties, with wavy black hair and a cluster of freckles spread across both cheeks beneath dark eyes. Wearing ripped blue jeans, a yellow sleeveless shirt and a rather unique orange stetson hat, the man was a spectrum of colours in an otherwise grey world. Even the green and black bag slung over his shoulder (which instantly reminded Marco of a watermelon) was a bold statement of colour against the silvers and whites that comprised the interior of the carriage. All in all, he appeared to be the polar opposite of Marco himself – full of life, colourful, energetic, and above all with the ability to stand out. In comparison Marco was as blank and boring as the carriage the two of them now shared, wearing his black work trousers and shoes along with a grey polo neck that had just a slight tint of blue to it beneath his jacket. How very dull and ordinary, especially when compared to this unique young man now standing no more than four feet away from him.

Turning his gaze away before he could be caught watching, the blonde let out another quiet sigh and focused on a random spot on the floor, feeling his body sway a little as the train once again began to move. As it picked up speed upon leaving the station he forgot about the brightly coloured passenger, expecting him to probably move away and find a seat further down the carriage – people never sat in close proximity to one another unless they either had no choice or already knew at least one of their fellow travellers. Marco was ready to forget about the other passenger completely and return to his bland thoughts of what TV program he was going to watch when he finally got home, until further movement and colour caught his eye.

The young man had finally stepped away from the doorway and chosen a seat, but instead of taking one further down the carriage like Marco had anticipated, he sat down directly across from the blonde and smiled. "Thought I wasn't going to make it there," he said, dumping his watermelon bag on the seat next to him. "That could've ended in disaster."

Ah. Here was the awkward conversation between strangers to break the ice and lighten the atmosphere, something Marco had witnessed many times and occasionally engaged in when he didn't have any other choice. He wasn't deliberately antisocial, but a lot of the time he found talking to people he'd never see again about random every day occurrences more than just a little tedious. There was only so much one could say about the weather, or where the best and worst places were to get a decent coffee in the morning – it wasn't as if you could make friends through such random bouts of idle chit chat. Still, it would be impolite to ignore the stranger now sat across from him, so Marco mustered up a faint smile and looked over at him.

"I'll say. The doors nearly caught you when they were closing. You're lucky to be alive."

He took a little satisfaction when the other man laughed at his rather lame attempt at a joke, and assumed that was the end of their brief interaction. But instead of the carriage falling into silence, the blonde's new companion decided to surprise him by opening his mouth again.

"I'm not all that used to using trains," he admitted, catching Marco's curiosity vaguely. "Where I'm from we're lucky to see more than a handful of cars around at any given time; this was a lot to get used to."

The blonde raised an eyebrow, surprised at how intrigued this stranger had made him with just a few short sentences. "You must have lived in the middle of nowhere then," he mused. "The lines here fan out in all directions."

"Yup, way out in the country," the younger man ('Freckles', Marco would call him for now) replied. "I only came out here because Gramps insisted on it. This was the last place he was stationed and he's on the point of retiring now."

Marco nodded – that seemed like a valid enough reason for what little information he had on the matter. "So, have you just moved here recently then?" He asked before he could stop himself.

Freckles grinned, apparently pleased that Marco was now making conversation with him off his own back. "Well I stayed on the outskirts of the next town over for a few months, but I'm in the process of moving again. My little brother just got accepted to a new school here so I'm trying to get everything ready for him coming out."

Again Marco nodded, not entirely sure what to say but hoping to maintain the calm and polite atmosphere that they had developed. At least this chit chat wasn't about the weather or coffee; Freckles was certainly one of the more interesting characters he had encountered recently on his trips back and forth to work. Unfortunately however all good things had to come to an end, such as this when a blaring ringtone suddenly filled the compartment and almost made Marco wince. Freckles smiled at him in apology as he fished inside his jeans pocket, pulling out his phone. "Sorry," he said, before turning away slightly to answer the call.

Not thinking too much of it Marco also turned and looked out the window behind him, watching the world go by as they powered on towards the next station. Freckles stayed on the phone for the next fifteen minutes, but Marco was well practiced in zoning out and so completely missed the entire one sided conversation. The train slowed as they approached the platform, and before Marco realised it his new travel companion had climbed to his feet and grabbed his bag.

The blonde looked round just as the train came to a stop and blinked as he saw Freckles looking back at him. With the phone still held to his ear the younger man gave him a cheery wave, then turned back to face the doors as they opened and stepped off the train. No one else entered as the station was practically deserted, allowing Marco to watch the departing man's back as he headed for the car park. Then the doors were closing and the train started to pull away again, and Marco lost sight of Freckles.

There was a tad of disappointment in his chest as he slumped back a little in his seat, staring across at the one that was now vacant and no different from any of the others. Figuring it had been nothing more than another chance encounter with a fellow human being who lived on this earth, Marco pulled out his own phone and decided to text his brother back. Occasionally his eyes wandered back across the carriage to the spot where Freckles had sat, and Marco found himself replaying their brief interaction in his head as the train rattled on along the tracks. His life was now back to the way he had become accustomed to – bland and void of any colour.

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 **So here we are at the end of the first chapter. I'd really love to hear what you think of this, but please be nice.**


	2. Tuesday

**Hi guys. Sorry for the long wait in me getting this uploaded - life has been getting in the way and I only just finished it. Thanks to everyone who left me reviews. They really do make my day. Anyway, onto chapter 2 :)**

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 **Tuesday**

The next day Marco barely made it in time for his train. Some issues at the office had kept him late until they'd been resolved, forcing the blonde man to then make a mad dash for the station and practically dive into the carriage before the doors shut. Unfortunately for Marco, catching his train was where his luck ran out. Tripping just over the threshold, he tumbled awkwardly to the floor, tossing his satchel and spilling its contents as he landed painfully. He snarled out a curse and began to pick himself up, grateful that, like the previous night, the train was not overly busy.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked, and Marco looked up to the kind stranger who apparently gave a damn. He blinked in surprise as he recognised the bright face beneath the equally bright orange hat.

"Freckles…" The word left his lips before he could stop himself, and as Freckles raised an eyebrow Marco just wanted to flop back down onto the floor and die. How embarrassing…

"They're from my mother's side," the younger man commented with a slight laugh, surprising Marco - apparently the weird nickname didn't bother him. "Never grew out of them. Anyway, let me give you a hand. The floor is kinda dirty and that looked like it hurt."

Marco lifted his head again as Freckles extended his hand, hesitating for a few seconds before accepting the kind offer of help, and letting himself be pulled back to his feet. Freckles smiled at him and then stooped to pick up some of the papers Marco had thrown across the floor. "You don't have to do that," Marco mumbled, mortified at how much his brain was stalling when this stranger was being so polite and helpful.

"It's fine, I'd rather help than sit and watch someone else struggle," Freckles told him, straightening and giving the papers a quick dust off. "Here, I think I got them all."

Taking back the paperwork, Marco gave the younger man a small smile of his own, once again relishing in the spectrum of colours that made up his being in a world that looked almost black and white around him. Orange hat, a purple shirt today and baggy blue denim shorts that reached his knees. When Marco realised he was staring he quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat, busying himself by replacing his papers in his bag.

"Thank you for your help," he said quickly, zipping the bag shut to ensure nothing fell out again.

"No worries," Freckles replied, shrugging his shoulders and moving back to his seat. Marco took one across from him and sighed as he sat down. "Long day?" Freckles asked.

"Busy," Marco replied. "One of those where everything seemed to go wrong."

"It looked it when you came crashing in like that. Kinda like me yesterday, huh? What are the chances of picking the same carriage two days in a row?" He grinned and held out his hand again, causing Marco to blink in confusion as his brain once again refused to function properly. "Name's Ace by the way. Freckles is all well and good, but if this is going to become a habit then first names are better."

Marco grumbled a little in embarrassment as he sank in his seat, then reached across to shake hands. "Sorry about that," he apologised. "I'm Marco, and I'm not normally this clumsy or scatter brained."

Ace laughed gently, a sound that instantly seemed to cheer Marco up. What a breath of fresh air this unique young man was, with a tone so bright and cheerful that it defied the oppressive drone of day to day life trapped within the rickety train car. "That's good to know."

Marco found himself smiling again as they settled into comfortable conversation, now past the awkwardness of yesterday and finding it a lot easier to chat to his new acquaintance. At first they just talked about random little things that had happened during their day, and the blonde found himself secretly pleased when he learned that Ace would be taking this same train on a regular basis. All of a sudden Marco had something to look forward to at the end of his day, other than just getting home from work and sprawling across his sofa.

With each stop further down the line more people came and went, too caught up in their own lives and thoughts to notice the steadily forming friendship between two strangers who'd come together, by chance, two days in a row. Ace told Marco a bit about his life and recent experiences as he adjusted to living in the city, and Marco in turn found himself sharing far more than he had ever anticipated with a nearly complete stranger. It was a little unnerving, but also exciting. They hadn't even known each other forty-eight hours yet, and already Marco felt comfortable enough around Ace to be himself and enjoy casual conversation - something he normally had little time for.

"I can't wait to get home and collapse across my sofa," the blonde mused, smiling a little as Ace let out a gaping yawn. "And from the look of things you're ready for your bed."

"Nah, I just get like this sometimes," Ace replied, having a rub at his neck with one hand while he held up the other. A red and white cord bracelet was tied round his wrist, and Marco quickly realised it had a medical tag secured to it for people to see. "I'm narcoleptic," Ace explained. "I take sleep attacks without warning, so please don't think I'm bored or anything."

"Sorry to hear that," Marco told him sincerely, still looking at the bracelet. He shook his head. "I should have noticed that sooner. I have a friend who's diabetic and she has one of those bracelets too."

"Annoying things really," Ace grumbled. "But it's got me out of trouble more times than I can count. Gramps used to yell at me all the time for not wearing it, so I finally got into the habit."

"Better to be safe than sorry I guess," Marco replied. "Have you had it all your life?"

Ace shook his head. "Not when I was a kid; I got diagnosed when I was fifteen." He shrugged and folded his arms behind his head. "It kinda sucks but I've got used to it now. Medication controls it to a certain extent, so long as I'm careful about what I do, and I can lead a relatively normal life."

"That's good," Marco smiled, and decided to share a little more about himself in turn. "Well I'm a recovering insomniac. Not exactly a medical condition like yours, but it's caused a few problems."

"Seriously?" Ace asked, and laughed a little. "Wow, we're like complete opposites in that respect."

"I suppose we are," Marco agreed with a small, secret smile. They really were opposites if he considered everything so far. Ace was bright and cheerful where Marco could appear dull and gloomy, one slept too little and the other too much, and then there was Marco's first impression of Ace - if Marco was a rainy day, then Ace was the sun, capable of painting rainbows across an otherwise grey and empty sky.

Wait, what? He winced at how corny that sounded, even in his own head, and decided to change the subject. Thank god Ace wasn't some kind of mind reader, otherwise that would have turned majorly awkward; Marco was clearly more tired than he realised. Seriously, he needed to get a grip. Luckily for him Ace chose that moment to ask about his work, so it was with some relief that Marco began to explain a bit about his family business.

Eventually however, as with the previous night, the train pulled into Ace's station and the pair were forced to cut their conversation short. Ace made a disappointed sound as he recognised the platform and grabbed his watermelon bag off the floor. "This is my stop," he sighed, climbing to his feet with some reluctance. He then proceeded to send Marco a dazzling smile - one that stilled the blonde man's breath for a moment. "Same time tomorrow?" Ace asked, and Marco lit up at the hopeful tone in the other's voice.

"Sure, unless I don't make it through work," he joked, attempting to hide his disappointment at Ace's departure.

"Well I really hope you do," Ace chuckled, and finally stepped off the train. "Bye Marco."

"Bye Ace," Marco returned, just as the doors hissed shut, and the two were separated once more. As with the previous night, Marco watched Ace's retreating back until the train pulled out of the station, then slumped down into his seat. That second encounter with his new travel companion had been interesting to say the least, as well as rather embarrassing. Had he actually called Ace _Freckles_? To his face?! He was going to go home and replay that humiliating moment in his head for hours!

Oh well… What was one more sleepless night to an insomniac? One who now yearned to dream in colour, having lived so long in black and white. He smiled; he was looking forward to tomorrow already.

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 **So that's us at the end of chapter 2. I'm trying really hard not to rush this, and tbh I struggled, considering not all that much happens in this chapter. Things will start to progress more in the next chapter though, and hopefully my updating speed will improve too. Please drop me a review if you feel up to it :)**


	3. Wednesday

**Wow... I haven't looked at this since July 2017. I never intended to leave this story untouched for so long, and I always felt guilty about not continuing it after receiving such lovely reviews.**

 **I won't go into major details, but about a month after publishing chapter two I found out my dad is terminally ill, so naturally my writing took a serious back step. He's still fighting though, and I have found my motivation again.**

 **For the people who read, reviewed and followed this story, if you are still interested I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I WILL finish this.**

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 **Wednesday**

When Marco reached the platform he almost groaned at how busy it was. A crowd of kids were standing with several adults, and the blonde had to stop himself from turning round and walking straight back out of the station. A school trip. Just what he needed after another hectic day at the docks.

All the kids had either suitcases or backpacks with them which littered much of the platform, and some were sitting in huddled circles munching on snacks, or hogging the few available plugs to charge various devices. A school trip looking to be heading out of the city - the same direction as Marco. How he hated his life in that moment.

It wasn't that Marco disliked children. He'd actually been told he was quite good with them once. But dealing with a crowd of noisy young teenagers on a train journey after one of the most stressful days he'd had in months was not at the top of his priorities. Ace had been a welcome change to his dull evening commute the past few days, but a crowd of high schoolers was too much.

Come back, dull and boring!

Other lone travellers seemed to be giving the group a wide berth, though the teachers were doing their best to control their young charges and prevent them from causing any problems. Marco wandered further down the platform in the hopes of finding a quieter spot, then heard a second commotion.

Towards the end of the platform another small crowd was gathering, this time adults who did not appear to be travelling together. People wandered from several different directions to a single point, and Marco found himself growing curious when he saw a woman crouch down on the cold station slabs.

That's when he spotted it. A rather distinctive green and black bag, lying on the floor. Beyond it, mostly hidden by the gathering people trying to offer assistance, was a figure in bright clothes wearing an orange hat.

Ace!

Marco didn't even realise he was running until he carefully pushed his way between folk, already sliding his coat off. After a quick check for any noticeable injuries, remembering his first aid training, Marco folded his coat and slid it carefully under Ace's head.

"Should we call an ambulance?" a woman beside him asked, phone already in her hand and poised to dial.

"It's all right, he's narcoleptic," Marco told her. "I'm a friend."

Friend? Really? Maybe he was assuming a bit too much. He'd known Ace for a whole two days. That didn't really count for much, certainly not enough to be considered a real friend. Whatever, it was a lot quicker to say and Marco found that no one questioned him. As soon as people realised the situation was under control most of them began to disperse, while a few lingered those extra moments to offer further assistance.

The train rolling into the station was what finally drew the remaining stragglers away, and the animated chatter of high schoolers migrated into the carriages with the other passengers. It was just as the doors were sliding closed that Marco saw Ace's eyes crack open, his moan drowned out by the noise of the train pulling away.

Hazy grey eyes lifted towards him and Marco offered a warm smile. "Hey," he greeted. "This is a little different."

Ace frowned, no doubt taking a moment to come fully awake. "Marco?"

Marco was relieved. Ace recognised him, so hopefully that meant he hadn't banged his head or done any damage when he'd fallen to the floor. The younger man sat up slowly with Marco's assistance, blinking his confusion away. He turned his head just in time to see the back of the train disappear from sight.

"Shit. Sabo's gonna kill me." Marco waited patiently, and met Ace's gaze when the younger man turned back to him. "You missed your train because of me."

The blonde shrugged, arm still round Ace's shoulders like a brace to support him. "I couldn't exactly leave you lying on the platform like that."

Ace blinked. "A lot of people do. Either that or they call the cops 'cause they think I'm drunk. Or they think I'm dead and call an ambulance, but normally it's the cops."

"Well, lucky for you I'm a bit more understanding." Marco smiled. "Glad you told me about your narcolepsy yesterday though, otherwise I'd have been the first to phone for an ambulance." He slowly removed his arm, confident now that Ace was awake enough to hold himself up. "Are you okay?"

Ace groaned and rubbed at his face. "Yeah, just a bit woozy. Been a hectic day and that often makes me worse." He managed a smile. "I'll be fine though. Thanks for helping me. I'm glad I didn't wake up to a complete stranger."

Marco chuckled. "Nah, just a half stranger, if that makes any sense." He helped Ace to his feet and lifted his bag for him, which Ace accepted with another grateful smile. They both had a glance at a nearby timetable board. "Well, we've got forty-five minutes until the next train. There's a good coffee shop that stays open late round the corner. Care to join me?"

Marco couldn't help but notice how Ace seemed to brighten at the suggestion. "Beats standing here in the cold. Only if you let me pay though, to say thanks."

"Fair enough."

They headed off together, and within ten minutes Marco was nursing a steaming cup of coffee between his hands while Ace sat across from him with a hot chocolate, crowned by an impressive dollop of whipped cream.

The shop was small and had a cosy feel to it, and the two men had nabbed a table by the window where they could see the station. Ace was on his phone, sending a text to his brother to let him know he'd be late, but Marco still enjoyed being in his company. He was a regular at the coffee shop, but until now he'd only ever gone alone. Even the waitress who he often exchanged pleasantries with had smiled upon noticing he actually had someone with him this time.

Her colleagues had also been eyeing Ace up, rather obviously, from behind the coffee machines, but with little success. Ace hadn't reacted at all to them fluttering their lashes, and Marco wasn't about to bring that up in conversation. For all he knew Ace had a girlfriend. It would be weird to ask when they technically weren't even friends yet.

"You okay?"

"The blonde turned back to his companion. "Hmm? Sorry, what?"

He couldn't help but notice the faint smudge of cream at the corner of Ace's lips as he smirked. "You were miles away. Go anywhere nice?"

"Oh." Marco looked away again, feeling a little flustered. "Nah, just let my mind wander, no idea where. Happens sometimes."

The smirk, and the cream, were still on Ace's face when Marco glanced back. "Thought you said you weren't scatterbrained?"

The blonde blinked. "Huh?"

Ace chuckled, and Marco slowly realised it was one of the nicest things he'd ever heard. "Drink your coffee, I think you need it."

Was he being teased? If that were the case Marco realised he didn't even care. Damn, what the hell was wrong with him? Since when did he let his guard down so easily? He had another sip of his coffee and tried to clear his head.

Think of a conversation starter. It had come easily enough before when he'd seen Ace. The last thing Marco wanted was for things to turn awkward now. Then Ace might stop talking to him, and Marco's daily commute would slump back into depressing sepia tones.

"You know, when I got up this morning this isn't how I expected I'd be spending my evening." Ace had beaten him to it with making conversation, and any awkwardness that Marco had started to feel was immediately blown clean out the water. "I'm kinda glad though. I was enjoying chatting with you last night until I got off the train."

Ace enjoyed chatting with him? Really? It was almost ridiculous how much that admission from the younger man stirred up feelings in Marco's chest. He had to respond with something similar, to show Ace how much he appreciated his company too.

Come on, mouth. Work!

"You certainly brighten my day." And Marco now wanted to drown himself in his coffee. Seriously?! A master of the English language and _that_ was what he came up with?

Embarrassed, he looked up as Ace laughed, unsure if he should try to take back the comment and replace it with something more appropriate. But once again Ace beat him to it.

"Is it the orange hat?" Ace had just provided him with a loophole, an easy way for Marco to escape with a little dignity. He jumped at the opportunity and mustered up a smile.

"That and the watermelon bag." Ah, good. His mouth and brain were working in tandem again. "You're very colourful compared to a lot of other people."

Ace grinned. Apparently he took that as a compliment. "I've never been a fan of dull tones. A splash of bright colour is more exciting and I just seem to suit it better. I don't mind standing out a bit."

Marco for one was glad of that, considering it was what had first drawn him to Ace. Three days ago he may as well have been colourblind with how he'd been viewing the world, stuck in his dull routine with not even a glimmer of excitement.

Now he was sitting in his favourite coffee shop with a handsome young man who genuinely seemed to enjoy his company, despite Marco being made up of the very dull tones Ace claimed to dislike.

He would need to look into the subject of colour psychology when he got home. For now though the conversation flowed, and Marco let himself be swept away by Ace's words and his bright smile.

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 **I'm glad I finally went back to this and wrote another chapter, though this has taken several attempts to upload. It went all weird and filled up with code which I couldn't figure out how to fix easily.**

 **Anyway, the rest of the story is still in my head. I'm sorry I kept those who were interested waiting so long. If you have the time to review at all I would really appreciate it, but please be nice.**


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